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Taste of Yum! Wins the World Over

By Jeff Hwang – Updated Nov 16, 2016 at 3:46PM

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Strong international sales growth and solid U.S. comps propel the company's stock to its highest price ever.

It seems that fast food is in style. Favorites McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) and Wendy's (NYSE:WEN) had already posted positive August sales comps; Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) -- the company behind the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC brands -- followed through this morning by reporting internationally charged sales growth.

Yum! shares are up 3% to $40.51 today after the company said it was "comfortable" that it would match analyst earnings estimates of $0.60 per share in the third quarter and that full-year earnings would "at least" meet the company's previous forecast of $2.36 per share, or $2.33 per share including special items.

As has been the case, Yum!'s international business has plowed ahead. For the four weeks ended Sept. 4, those sales climbed 17% over the same period last year, or 11% before currency conversion to U.S. dollars. U.S. same-store sales also climbed 5% overall, led by a 7% gain at Taco Bells. Even the troubled KFC stores chimed in with a second month of positive comps, gaining 4% over last year.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Aristotle Munarriz has some legitimate gripes about the company's interesting marketing tactics (see Taco Bell Gives Gas and More Yum! Luck), but the bottom line is that business is good. International sales are strong, KFC may be turning a corner, and the stock pays a dividend. Add that up, and shares of the former Pepsi (NYSE:PEP) spinoff are at their highest ever, though not particularly cheap nor expensive-looking at 17 times this year's earnings.

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Fool contributor Jeff Hwang owns none of the companies mentioned above.

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Stocks Mentioned

McDonald's Corporation Stock Quote
McDonald's Corporation
MCD
$245.95 (-0.80%) $-1.99
The Wendy's Company Stock Quote
The Wendy's Company
WEN
$19.07 (-0.37%) $0.07
Yum! Brands, Inc. Stock Quote
Yum! Brands, Inc.
YUM
$110.65 (-0.13%) $0.14
Pepsico, Inc. Stock Quote
Pepsico, Inc.
PEP
$168.52 (-0.05%) $0.08

*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

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